· Tas Tomorrow has been a total mess, and must be suspended
· In the meantime, the Education Minister must agree to campuses opting out
David Bartlett must swallow his personal pride and immediately suspend Labor’s Tasmania Tomorrow changes.
Teachers have again shown today what they think of the mess he has made with almost 60 per cent of Elizabeth College teachers voting against moving to the new system next year.
Rosny College has already voted to postpone joining the new system; and two other campuses – Claremont College and Launceston College, have long been opposed.
The time for Mr Bartlett to put students and teachers first, and his ego last, is well passed.
Tasmania’s teachers and students have had enough. They have tried to work with Labor’s haphazard and badly thought-out upheaval of Tasmania’s post-year 10 education system, but have found it fundamentally flawed.
The Tasmanian Liberals have been absolutely consistent on this.
When Labor’s legislation was debated at the end of 2008 we moved amendments to defer consideration, which David Bartlett refused to support. We also proposed that any changes be delayed for at least a year to allow proper consultation with teachers, students, parents and the wider community. Again, Mr Bartlett used his numbers to defeat that in Parliament, and arrogantly pressed ahead.
David Bartlett needs to pay urgent attention to the many system problems that are in his Tasmania Tomorrow model, particularly as they affect Polytechnic year 11 and 12 students.
He must also immediately provide proper VET funding and full college budgets for both Rosny and Elizabeth College to ensure that in 2010 a full range of options will be available for students.
Sue Napier MP Shadow Education Minister
